This invention relates to sighting indicia for aiming an arrow to be fired from a bow and, more particularly, to illuminated sight pins maximizing the light gathering capabilities of light gathering members while sufficiently supporting the light gathering members.
In firing an arrow from a bow, a skilled archer performs a regimented sequence of steps to obtain high accuracy. The archer will always nock the arrow (snap the arrow on the bow string) at the same point, and the archer will always draw the string back the exact same distance. The latter is accomplished by drawing the string back until a particular portion of the hand contacts a particular portion of the head or by means attached to the string which stop the draw at the desired point. Thus, the feathered end of the arrow is always at a fixed distance from the eye. The archer then aligns the arrow laterally with a target. This leaves only the action of elevating or lowering the arrow head to correspond to the distance to the target. While in the past archers have determined the arrow head elevation by intuition, it has become common for archers to utilize a sighting system with sighting indicia such as sight pins to aid in aiming the arrow. To protect the sighting indicia from breakage and prevent them from being bumped out of place, sighting systems frequently incorporate a guard which partially surrounds the sighting indicia.
When hunting, one of the best times of day to find game is during the dimly lighted, early morning or late evening hours. During such periods, visibility of the sighting indicia is impaired or non-existent. Accordingly, lighted sights have been devised in an attempt to overcome this problem, and recently, devices, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,928,394; 5,231,765; and 5,201,124 all to Sherman and 5,442,861 to Lorocco, have been developed with light gathering characteristics which are capable of focusing light gathered from the surroundings at a small point referred to herein as an aiming dot. The light gathering members of these devices are lightweight but brittle and thus easily broken.
The archer's ability to identify the aiming dot is improved by increasing the brightness of the aiming dot. The aiming dot depends directly on the surface area of the device light gathering member which is, available to gather light. However, the size and configuration of the device must be limited to prevent obstruction of the archer's vision. The archer's ability to identify the aiming dot is further enhanced by utilizing a sight pin which sufficiently contrasts the aiming dot. The '394 and '765 Sherman references and the '861 Lorocco reference disclose sighting systems which utilize sight pins with each sight pin having a relatively long, small diameter light gathering fiber for gathering light and directing it to the aiming dot which is located at one end of the sight pin. The sight pin of the '124 Sherman reference utilizes a molded plastic with a fluorescent dye dispensed therein. The sight pins of these references provide a well illuminated aiming dot.
With regard to the Sherman references, however, the fibers loop around the sighting system in a complex fashion increasing cost and leaving portions of the fibers unsupported and thus susceptible to breakage. Further, the bodies of the fibers are visible to the archer and the aiming dots are not well contrasted, for example, by a surrounding black surface. These factors reduce the archer's ability to identify and concentrate on the aiming dots. The '124 Sherman reference addresses the breakage problem and reduces the sight pin configuration complexity by providing a shorter, relatively larger diameter light gathering members made of molded plastic, which taper toward the aiming dots. While the larger diameter members provide sufficient surface area for gathering light, they are brittle and unsupported or unprotected. Further, the aiming dot is insufficiently contrasted. The '861 Lorocco reference, suffers from similar deficiencies. The body of the fiber is visible to the archer, and the aiming dot is not contrasted. Further, the fiber is insufficiently protected to prevent breakage especially at the most susceptible point, the aiming dot.
To provide sufficient contrast, one commercially available sighting system utilizes a black sight pin which holds the light gathering fiber. Sufficient surface area is provided for gathering light by looping the light gathering fiber out away from the sight pin in a plane parallel to the archer's line of sight and behind the sight pin. In this manner, the light gathering surface area is increased without additional obstruction of the archer's vision, and the black sight pin masks the body of the light gathering fiber from the archer's vision and surrounds the aiming dot to sufficiently contrast the aiming dot. However, a portion of the light gathering fiber is separated from and extends beyond the protective structure of the sight pin and guard. Because the light gathering fiber is made from brittle materials, the small diameter fiber is easily broken, especially during hunting excursions through wooded areas and undergrowth where the unprotected fiber can be caught on tree branches and twigs and bumped against tree trunks or other obstacles. Clearly, an archer does not want to be replacing a sight pin when a rare and fleeting opportunity for a shot at wild game presents itself.
Another commercially available sight pin includes a light gathering fiber extending through a long and shiny tubular sight end with a clear plastic casing molded onto the sight end. The casing is threaded externally for mounting to an archery sighting system. Because the tubular sight end is shiny and only slightly larger than the fiber, this sight pin fails to sufficiently contrast the aiming dot, and it also fails to minimize the potential distraction from the body of the light gathering fiber. Further, the tubular sight end does not allow light through thereby decreasing the intensity of the aiming dot.
Thus, providing an illuminated sighting indicia with a light gathering member which is not susceptible to breakage, has sufficient exposed surface area for gathering light, and which sufficiently contrasts the aiming dot is desirable to enhance the durability, reliability, and the natural light gathering function of sighting indicia.